John l



l .(No Model.)

J. L. RITTER. 's

EGG CRATE AND TRAY'. NO- `382s622f p 'Patentea-May'8188a.

lIO

of one of the trays.

l UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

vJOHN L. RITTER, OF MILNES, VIRGINIA.

see CRATE AND TRAY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 382,622, dated May8,1888.

Application filed January 3l, 1888. Serial No. 262,557. (No model.)v

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN L. RITTER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Milnes, in the county of Page and State of Virginia, haveinvented a new and useful Improvement in Egg Crates and Trays, ofWhichthe following isa specification. v Y

My invention is an improved egg-crateand tray therefor; and it consistsin the improved construction hereinafter set forth, whereby a simple,efficient, and durable arrangement is provided.

In the accompanying drawings,fo1'ming part of this specification, Figurel is a perspective view of an egg-crate embodying my improvements. Fig.2 is avplan view of one of the trays. Fig. 3 is a sectional end view ofthe crate made up. Fig. 4 is a perspective view Fig. 5 is a vdetailperspective view of the fastening device employed at each en d of thecrate. Figs. 6 and 7 are detail views of lmoditied forms.

The bodyvof the crate is made up of a series d of suspended trays, A,each of which is composed of longitudinal side bars, o, end bars, b, andintermediate bar, c. A wire, d, is knotted at one end, e, and is thenpassed through a perforation about midway between the upper and lowervedges of one of the end bars, b. As shown in the drawings, the relativedistance which said hole is located from the adjacent side of the trayis about one-sixth 'the width of the end bar. This said wired is thenled longitudinally through the frame of said tray in about the centralhorizontal plane thereof, and said Wire passes through a perforation inthe central bar and also through one in the oppo site end bar, bothperforations being in alignment with that iirst referred to. The saidWire is then led'for. a short distance horizontally along the outer faceof said baruntil it arrives at another perforation therein in about thesame horiz'otal plane, at which point -it is passed through the openingand led back through the central and opposite end bars. This operationof leading the wire back and forth is continued until the entire 'widthof the interior of each tray is provided with a series of longitudinalwires equidistantly arranged. A transverse wire, f, is then passed backand forth in the same horizontal plane through the side bars, thelongitudinal wire being provided with depressions g for receiving saidtransverse wire,'so that the contiguous parts will not be objectionablyirregular.

The tray is provided with a bottom,-B, of pasteboard or like material,which rests upon and is supported by the crossed wires'.` A series ofperforations is made in each bottomB for the reception of the eggs. Eachperfora- 6o tion is relatively so located that it -will be within thelimits of each rectangular section of the crossed wires. g I L At eachouter corner of the tray is secured an angle-plate, C, which islocatedin position in a higher plane than lthe frame of the tray, 'sothat the upper part of the plate extends above the upper edge of thetray. This ar-r rangement, when the trays rest upon, each other, permitstheir intimate contact, but holds them rigidly against lateraldisplacement. By reference to Fig.l l it will be seen that the upperprojecting portion of each-bracket einj braces thelower exposed portionof the corresponding'corner of the tray next above. AThe 75 arrangementof plates, therefore, forms an overlapping corner connection thatinsures the proper retention of the several trays in position.

When the trays have beentarranged in posi tion tothe desired number, atop, D, is placed upon the upper tray and the entire series and the topare rigidly connected togetherat each I v end by means of a verticalrod, E, which passes through perforations in the top and end bars of thesuccessive trays and is threaded at its loWerend to engage a threadedopening in a `metal plate, F, secured onthe under side of the bottomtray. The top D at each end is provided with a'plate, G, perforated'toregister with the opening therein, and through which projects the upperthreaded end of the rod E. A winged nut, H, engages the upper threadedportion of the rod E. This nut can be so ad j usted that it will bearupon the plate G, and 95 thus rmly clamp the top and trays between theupper and lower plates. j

From the preceding description-it will be seen that the individualtraysare of exceed ingly simple, durable, and useful construction,

and that they can be quickly and conveniently Y assembled in any desirednumber to present a crate of any required capacity. v

While I have explained with particularity4 ICG the specific arrangementof interlaoing Wires, I desire it understood that the construction setforth discloses but one arrangement of such wires, and many arrangementsof such Wires may be resorted to without departing from my invention. Insuch modifications i-t will only be necessary that the wires formsupports for the bottoms or cells.

The outer faces `of the sides and ends of each tray are provided withhorizontal grooves to receive the external portions of the Wires andprotect the latter against jars or shocks.

In each of the several trays I use the regular cells to prevent lateraldisplacement of the eggs.

In Figs. 6 and 7 I show modifications ofthe connection between the traysin lieu of the corner plates or brackets. The under and upper sides ofthe end rails of each tray in Fig. 6 are rabbeted to provide projectingshoulders, which interlock and prevent lateral displacement.

In Fig. 7 the same result is produced by tacking a strip on the innerside of the end rails of each tray, so as to cause said strip to projectupward and catch or engage the tray above. It will be observed that ineach of the three forms shown the same generic feature is preserved-fi.e., the end rails of the tray are provided with projecting shoulderswhich interlock and prevent lateral displacement. Y

I do not wish to restrict the use of my crate to carrying and storingeggs, as it may be employed to advantage as a fruit-crate.

Having described my invention, I claim- 1. An egg-tray having a bottomof wires, a perforated sheet of pasteboard or like material resting onthe wires, and egg-cells resting on the board, as setvforth.

2. An egg-crate composed of a series of superimposed ,trays each havinga bottom of wires, aperforated sheet of pasteboard or like materialresting on said Wires, and cell-cases resting on 'said board, as setforth. 4 5

3. An egg-crate consisting of a series of superimposed trays verticallyperforated at the ends, a top, a perforated plate on the bottom tray andhaving a threaded opening, a perforated plate on the top, and a rodpassing 5o through said perforations, threaded at its lower end toengage said bottom plate and threaded at its upper end to receive aclampscrew, substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my 55 own I haveheretoaffixed mysignaturein presence oftwo witnesses.

JOHN L. RITTER.

Vitnesses:

JOHN H. SIGGERs, E. G. SIGGEns.

